The Support Group for Rosia Montana Project (GSPRM) wants to draw attention to the fact that the “You are the Judge” show that TVR broadcast live on February 23 conveyed the public opinion’s massive support for the Rosia Montana project. “Today 78 per cent of Romanian citizens believe that it is important for the Rosia Montana Gold Corporation project to start in order to solve the employment problems there,” Mircea Toma stated during the show. “We want to underline this statement has to be taken seriously. This percentage is similar to the results of surveys that the Group conducted, and now coming from a source such as ActiveWatch – which is an NGO known for being against the mining project – this information becomes even more relevant,” Mr. Ion Popescu, President of the ‘Meridian’ National Trade Union Confederation and member of the Support Group’s Coordinating Council, stated. “We want to confirm for these people that became convinced of the positive impact that the mining project would have on the area’s socio-economic situation that the results are correct and that the vast majority of people in Rosia Montana see mining as the only solution, a solution that would generate long-term development. If some persons still doubt this we ask them to go there, to visit Rosia Montana and not to limit themselves to obtaining information from TV,” Ion Popescu added. The Support Group members expressed their disappointment at “You are the Judge” program producers not inviting any of the 70 group members at the Feb 23 Rosia Montana project debate. “We are perfectly aware of the time limits of a TV program, yet, such civil society representative group, which includes many advocates of this mining project, should have had at least one representative in this debate, if the program producers really wanted to invite all the relevant parties. From the information we have had so far, there is no other industrial project with such relevant support group nationwide, therefore, this alone should have been grounds enough for us to be invited,” Univ. Prof. Ovidiu Nilescu, president of the National Council of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Romania and member of the Support Group Coordinating Council, said.The Support Group for the Rosia Montana Project is an unprecedented initiative in Romania thereby the civil society has mobilised itself to support a large-scale industrial project. The group was formally founded in June 2011 and includes over 70 important organizations in Romania: trade unions, employers’ associations, universities, mayoralties from mining communities and not only, NGOs from various fields of activity and even private individuals and public figures.
